TNT: Lily Turns 12!

My baby girl is now 12! Crazy!

Lily got a couple presents from some of her aunts and uncles earlier in the month.

Since Tom was going to be out of town on Lily's birthday, he took her out on a special birthday date. She dressed up nice and he got her a bouquet of flowers and then took her to Olive Garden for dinner.

Friday, August 21st was Lily's birthday party. She had about ten friends come for a swimming party! Unlike so many years past, we had a hot, sunny night!

Aunt Maren made Lily's cake and did an amazing job! Lily wanted a cake with fondant frosting.

In fact, with Tom gone I had a few friends come help, so Maren, Candalyn and Rebekah were my go-to parents. My friend, Diane also came at the end and helped me with the clean-up.

All the friends.

Sophie had several of her friends and cousins there too (Rebekah brought her foster kids who aren't pictured).

For dinner we had pizza and apples.

We then sang "Happy Birthday" and Lily blew out the candles.

Mmmm, cake and ice cream!

However, dessert soon turned into a food fight.

The girls swam a bit more and we cleaned up the cake mess. Then it was time for presents.

It turned out to be a great birthday party!

Saturday, August 22nd was Lily's real birthday. She got a cute hair cut in preparation for school.

It wasn't the most exciting day. Lily had spent the night and gone clothes shopping with her cousin, Savannah a few weeks earlier, so I told her the new clothes were her birthday present.

However, the kids gave her a new bike lock since she'd be riding her bike to middle school.

That night we went school shopping. Although the boys kept running off and Sophie lost her shoes in the shoe department and it took 20 minutes and the help of a stranger to find them! I was about to just buy her new shoes, because I didn't care much about the old ones, but the shoes there were all so expensive and I'd already bought her new shoes.

After shopping we went to Wingers for dinner. The kids devoured about four bowls of popcorn before their dinner came. But between the popcorn and the coloring menus they were pretty good kids.

That night though ended in tears. It just wasn't the birthday Lily expected, and I was pretty stressed out that day, which didn't help. Little did she know, good things were yet to come...

Sunday was a much better day! Lily was recognized in Sacrament meeting with her Faith in God and advancement from primary award. She got to recite her favorite Article of Faith (#13) in front of the pulpit and did a wonderful job. She was excited to attend Young Women's for the first time and got several presents from primary, activity days and YW. But the best part of the day was when she got her temple recommend! I took her to the church that afternoon and just waited in the car. She came running out to the car with tears streaming down her face. "I'm worthy to go to the temple" she said to me as she gave me a big hug. She told me how she had been praying to know if she was worthy to enter the temple and never felt like she had gotten her answer. Then as she was walking into the church, she said she felt the Holy Ghost tell her she was worthy. She excitedly said "I can't believe I get to enter the temple! I am so excited I can go!" It was one of those proud mommy moments as we sat in the car a cried with the spirit so strong. What an amazing girl to know how important the temple is and to feel such a desire to go.

So Lily's birthday weekend came and went. However, on Tuesday night, while Tom was heading home from his trip, he had picked up her real present from us. First I gave Lily a little box and said I'd felt bad for the bad birthday she had and I'd gotten her one more present. Her reaction to opening the cat collar, with the name Baby already engraved on the tag, was priceless.

Meanwhile, Tom was walking in behind her with a kitten in hand. Lily had been the one to tell us about this kitten. Her Activity Day leader had cat-sat for a family who had five little kittens. Lily saw some pictures and videos of the kittens and fell in love with the runt. She said if she could have it, she'd name her Baby. So Tom and I talked about the fact that she's been asking for a kitten forever and she's showing a lot of responsibility now that maybe it was time. (and frankly, after cleaning out Jeff's turtle tank, a cat would be a breeze to clean up after).

She was so excited and recognized Baby right away!

This two-month old kitten is so cute and we've had a ball playing with her. (I love that Sophie and I get her all to ourselves while the kids are at school. ☺)